Mixing faucet

ABSTRACT

A valve housing for a mixing faucet with molded surface waterways on the exterior of the housing and an integral sealing member surrounding the waterways for separating them. A method is also provided for producing the integral seal by introducing sealing material under pressure in the space between the surface waterways and the interior wall of a valve casing that snugly fits around the valve housing.

United States Patent Inventors Frederick M. Kappel;

John G. Pecis, Wilmington, Del. Appl. No. 725,414 Filed Apr. 30, 1968Patented Jan. 12, 1971 Assignee Speakman Company Wilmington, Del.

a corporation of Delaware MIXING FAUCET 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S; Cl 137/625.17, 264/263 Int. Cl Fl6k 11/08 Field of Search 137/375,625.17, 625.68

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 521,653 6/1894 Heydel37/625.68 2,910,081 10/1959 Karbowniczek l37/625.68 FOREIGN PATENTS1,126,540 11/1956 France 137/625.68

Primary Examiner-M. Cary Nelson Assistant ExaminerR B. RothmanAttorney-Connolly and Hutz ABSTRACT: A valve housing for a mixing faucetwith molded surface waterways on the exterior of the housing and anintegral sealing member surrounding the waterways for separating them. Amethod is also provided for producing the integral seal by introducingsealing material under pressure in the space between the surfacewaterways and the interior wall of a valve casing that snugly fitsaround the valve housing.

. l MIXING FAUCET BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates to a valve housing fora mixing faucet as well as a method forsealing the surface waterways of the housing. More particularly, thevalve housing has molded surface waterways and an integralseal surroundsthe housing between the waterways. s I

Most mixing faucets include valve housings having water ways forchanneling water to and from a mixing valve. The minimum size of suchwaterways was heretofore limited by the practical size of sand cores orfabricated tubing; This resulted in large size valve housings withcorresponding high cost. Sand core and fabricated waterways are alsolimited to rather simple geometric shapes. Leakage through such valvehousings is not uncommon because of porous cast metal or fabricatedjointsof minimum integrity.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a valvehousing for a mixing faucet which allows the formation of extremelysmall waterways and is more reliable and economical to produce.

Another object 'ofthe present invention is to provide a unique methodfor sealing the surface waterways in the valve housing of a mixingfaucet.

SUMMARY or THE NVENTIO 2 In accordance with the present invention, avalve housing is provided comprising a body portion having asubstantially hollow interior with spaced apart surface waterways on theexterior of the body portion. At least two of the waterways each have adischarge port that opens into the interior of the housing. An integralsealing member surrounds the body portion of the housing between thesurface waterways, for sealing the waterways from one another. i I I Theexterior of the body portion includes a pair of spaced apartoutwardlydirectedflanges that surround the body por-' tion so that thesurface waterways are disposed between the flanges. Raised rim portionssurround the-periphery of each surface waterway so that the sealingmember occupies the area between the flanges and the raised rimportions.

The valve housing of the'present invention is used in combination with avalve casing that surrounds'the housing so that the interior wall of thecasing snugly engages the flanges and the raised rim portions. Thus, thesealing member occupies the space between the interior wall of thecasing and the body portion of the housing in the area between theflanges and the raised rim portions. The sealing member may ,beconstructed of any catalytically activated material and the body portionof the housing molded of a thermoplastic or thermoset material.

The present invention also involves a method for sealing the surfacewaterways of a valve housing used in a mixing faucet comprising thesteps of providing a valve housing with surface waterways and raised rimportions around the periphery of each waterway. The valve housing isassembled inside a valve casing so that-the raised rim portions aroundthe periphery of each waterway snugly engage the interior of the casing.Liquid sealing material is introduced into ,the space between thehousingand the casinguntil the material fills the space around thesurface waterways. Solidiflcation of the liquid sealing materialprovides, an integral sealing member that sealsthe surface waterwaysfrom one another.

The step of introducing the liquid sealing material involves introducingthe material under pressure through an opening in the valve casing, andcontinuing the introduction of sealing material into the opening in thecasing until the liquid sealing .material seeps through a perforationinthe valve housing.

Such seeping indicates that the space between the housing and the casingis filled with sealing material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTI-IE DRAWING one skilled in the art from a readingof the following detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters in which: 7

FIG. 1 is a SCCKIOIIfiIyVICW of a mixing faucet according to the presentinvention; I

FIG. 2 is an exploded elevational view of several interior components ofthe mixirig faucet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a valve housing for the mixing faucetshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the valve housing inside a valve casingwith portions broken away to diagrammatically illustrate the method forsealing the surface waterways of the housing; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the housing and casing shown in FIG. 4

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention involves amixing faucet 10 having a generally cylindrical shell 12 with a spoutportion 14 integrally connected to the shell. A cylindrical valve casing16 is mounted inside the shell .12 as shownin FIG. 1, and the valvecasing upon a mounting plate 18 connected to a sinkboard. An escutcheon20is provided at the lower end of the valve casing 16 for covering thelower portion of the casing as well as the mounting plate 18. A valvehousing 22 molded of thermoplastic material such as polyformaldehyde(Delrin), for ex-- ample, is mounted inside the valve casing 16. Asexplained more fully below, the valve housing includes molded surfacewaterways for channeling incoming and outgoing water.

A valve cartridge 24 is located inside the valve housing ,22. The valvecartridge comprises a case having an upper section 26 and a lowersection 28.connected together at 30. A valve element 32 is mounted forreciprocal and rotary motion inside the. case of the valve cartridge. Asexplained more fully below, reciprocal and rotary movement of the valveelement 32 regulates the temperature and volume of water flowing fromthe spout 14 when the faucet is open.

Turning now to FIG. 2, thecylindrical valve casing 16 may be constructedof metal alloys, such as brass, or thermoplastic materials, for example.A cold water conduit 34 is connected to the lower portion ofthe valvecasing and a hot water conduit 36 is also secured to the lower portionof the casing, 180 from the conduit 34. The casing has a dischargeoutlet 38 for directing mixed water to the spout 14,.asexplainedmorefully below. Additionally, the valve casing 16 hasadischarge port 40for directing mixed water from the spout 14 to anauxiliary device, such as a spray attachment (not shown).

The valve housing 22 is mounted inside the valve casing 16. The housingis made of plastic material of the type mentioned above, and is easilyproduced by plastic molding and machining techniques. Moreover, thehousing includes a body portion 1 having a molded surface waterway 42for channeling .the in coming cold water in an upward direction to aport. that opens into the hollow interior of the housing where the valvecartridge 24 is located. The surface waterway 42 includes a raisedperipheral rim 46 and a lower inclined portion 48 for directing theincoming cold water in an upward direction asit enters the waterway fromthe conduit 34. A similar molded surface waterway 50 is spaced 180 fromwaterway 42 and1in way 54 for channeling mixed water from the vvinteriorof the cludes an inclined portion (not shown) at its lower end as wellas a port not shown) at its upper end for discharging ,hot water intothe valve cartridgeinside the valve housing. Like surface waterway 42,the hot waterway 50 is surrounded by'a raised peripheral rim 52. 1 v

The valve housing 22 also includesa molded surface waterhousing to thespout 14 of the faucet. In this regard, waterway 54 has a discharge portat its lower endthat provides,com. munication betweenthe interior andexterior of the housing. As best shown in FIGS. l-3, waterway 54communicates with the discharge port 38 in valve casing 16. Moreover,the valve casing has an annular channel 58 flanked by a pair of O-ringsrefer to similar parts and.

60 positioned between the valve casing 16 and the shell 12 of thefaucet. Thus, as explained more fully below, mixed water emptying fromthe bottom of the valve housing is channeled into the waterway 54through the opening 56 and then upwardly to the discharge port 38 in thevalve casing 16. As the mixed water empties into the annular channel 58it flows around the channel to a branch line 62 that connects thechannel to the spout 14 of the mixing faucet. Waterway 54 is alsosurrounded by a peripheral rim 64.

The valve housing 22 further includes a fourth molded surface waterway66 for channeling mixed water from the spout 14 to an auxiliary device,such as a spray attachment. The surface waterway 66 has a discharge port68 at its lower end which opens into a line 70 that serves to connectthe spray attachment to the faucet. The line 70 is an integral portionof the valve housing 22 and includes external threads 72 to facilitateconnection of the spray attachment to the housing. As can readily beunderstood, when the valve attached to the spray at its discharge end isopened water flowing through the faucet is channeled into the upperportion of the surface waterway 66 from the lower end portion of thespout 14 which is in line with that waterway. The mixed water simplyflows down the waterway 66 into the discharge port 68 and then into theline 70. Waterway 66 is also surrounded by a peripheral rim 72.

As explained above, the interior of the valve housing 22 carries thevalve cartridge 24. The lower case section 28 is seated in the bottom ofthe housing, as shown in FIG. 1, and the upper section 26 is accuratelypositioned inside the housing 22 so that a pair of opposed ports 74, 76in that section of the case are in alignment with the discharge ports inthe cold and hot surface waterways 42, 50 of the valve housing. Theports 74, 76 are sealed from one another by a diagonal O-ring 78, andO-rings 80, 82 are also provided between the case and housing above andbelow the ports 74, 76. Accurate alignment of the ports 74, 76 with thedischarge ports in the cold and hot surface waterways 42, 50 isaccomplished by a lateral projection 84 on the upper case section 26that enters a slot 86 in the upper portion of the valve housing 22.

As mentioned above the valve cartridge 24 includes the valve element 32mounted for reciprocal as well as rotary motion. The valve elementcomprises a cylinder 90 connected to a valve stem 92 having a lower endportion 94 seated within a bushing 96 mounted in a recess 98 in thelower portion of the valve housing 22. The valve stem extends through anopening in the lower case section 28 which is somewhat larger than thediameter of the stem so that mixed water can empty into a compartment100 in the housing below the lower case section 28. As mixed waterempties into the compartment 100 it flows through openings 102 in asleeve 104 that functions to prevent the bushing 96 from moving in anupward direction when the valve element 32 moves upwardly.

A plurality of openings 106 are arranged in the cylinder 90 of the valveelement 32 in a predetermined manner. Under flow conditions the openingsare in alignment with the cold and hot ports 74, 76 in the upper casesection 26. When the valve element is positioned at the lower extent ofits downward motion the cold and hot ports 74, 76 are closed by animperforate upper portion 108 of the cylinder 90. How ever, when thevalve element is positioned upwardly relative to the case, the openings106 in the cylinder communicate with the ports 74, 76 in the upper casesection 26. Rotation of the cylinder, as explained below, providesvarious combinations of hot and cold water including all hot and allcold. This is accomplished by aligning selected openings in the cylinderwith the ports 74, 76. Moreover, the volume of water flowing through thefaucet is regulated by the position of the cylinder 90 relative to theports 74, 76. In this regard, water flow increases to a maximum as thecylinder moves to the maximum extent of its upward travel.

A sleeve 110 is provided for mounting a handle 112 to the faucet 10. Thesleeve is force fitted onto the upper portion 114 of the valve housing22 and includes an elevated arcuate segment 116 having an elongate slot118 therein. The elongate slot is surrounded by a gasket 120 andreceives the back end 122 of the handle 112. The upper end 124 of thevalve stem 92 is connected to a cap 126 anchored to the stem by amachine screw 128. The cap includes a skirt portion 130 threadablyconnected at 132 to the main portion of the cap. Additionally. the caphas a handle receiving opening 134 with a gasket 136 surrounding theopening. Moreover, the back end of the handle 112 has a circular opening138 and the central column 140 of the cap 126 extends through theopening. The central column 140 fits over the upper end 124 of the valvestem 92, as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, when the front end of the handle 112is raised the valve stem 92 moves upwardly and the perforations 106 inthe cylinder 90 of the valve element 32 communicate with the ports 74,76 in the upper case section 26. Raising and lowering the handleregulates the volume of flow through the faucet and when the handle isin its uppermost position the flow is at a maximum since the maximumnumber of perforations in the cylinder are in communication with theports 74, 76. Movement of the handle 112 to the right or left varies theratio of perforations in the cylinder 90 that are in communication withthe cold and hot ports 74, 76. Thus, various water mixtures are obtainedthrough such movement of the handle. Finally, when the handle is in itslowermost position, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the ports 74, 76 areclosed by the upper imperforate portion 108 of the cylinder 90.

The cap 126 of faucet 10 also includes a clear plastic insert securedthereto by the machine screw 128, as shown in FIG. 1. An indiciacarrying plate 152 is mounted directly below the clear plastic insert bya support 154 fixed to the elevated arcuate segment 116 of the handlemounting sleeve 110. Accordingly, as the handle is moved to the right orleft various water mixtures printed on the plate 152 are readily visiblethrough the clear plastic insert 150.

The various surface waterways molded in the valve housing 22 areseparated from one another by an integral seal 160. The seal is locatedbetween the waterways and upper and lower annular flanges 162, 164 onthe body of valve housing 22 above and below the waterways. In thisregard, when the housing is properly inserted into the cylindrical valvecasing 16 the raised rim portions surrounding each of the waterways aswell as the annular flanges 162, 164 snugly engage the interior wall ofthe valve casing 16. An opening 166 in the lower portion of the valvecasing 16 just above the lower annular flange 164 provides an inlet forfluid sealing material. The fluid sealing material is pumped into theinlet 166 under pressure and flows into the space between the raisedrims around the molded surface waterways, the annular flanges 162, 164,the housing body and the interior wall of the cylindrical valve casing16. Fluid sealing material is pumped into this space until it emergesfrom several perforations 168 located in the valve housing 22 directlybelow the upper annular flange 162. Once this occurs, pumping of thefluid sealing material is terminated and the fluid is allowed tosolidify. As can readily be understood, the solidified seal functions toseparate the various molded surface waterways from one another toprevent leakage. Catalytically activated sealing materials such aspolysulfide, for example, may be used to seal the waterways. Epoxy is agood sealing material. As is the case with these materials the sealantshould adhere to the surface of the casing and/or housing. Curing of thematerial by chemical reaction is preferred over air curing because thespace between the casing and housing is relatively airtight.

We claim:

1. A valve housing comprising a body portion having a substantiallyhollow interior, a pair of spaced apart outwardly directed flanges onthe exterior of the body portion completely surrounding the bodyportion, spaced apart surface waterways on the exterior of the bodyportion located between the pair of outwardly directed flanges, a raisedrim portion around the periphery of each surface waterway, and a singleintegral sealing member surrounding the body portion of the housing andcompletely occupying the area between the outwardly 3. A valve housingas in claim 1 wherein the body portion is molded of plastic material.

4. A valve housing as in claim 1 containing at least one opening thereinwhereby sealing material can be observed leaving the opening when thearea between the outwardly directed flanges and the raised rim portionsis filled with sealing material.

1. A valve housing comprising a body portion having a substantiallyhollow interior, a pair of spaced apart outwardly directed flanges onthe exterior of the body portion completely surrounding the bodyportion, spaced apart surface waterways on the exterior of the bodyportion located between the pair of outwardly directed flanges, a raisedrim portion around the periphery of each surface waterway, and a singleintegral sealing member surrounding the body portion of the housing andcompletely occupying the area between the outwardly directed flanges andthe raised rim portions for sealing the waterways from one another.
 2. Avalve housing as in claim 1 and a valve casing around the housing havingan interior wall that snugly engages the flanges and the raised rimportions, the sealing member occupying the space between the interiorwall of the casing and the body portion of the housing in the areabetween the flanges and the raised rim portions.
 3. A valve housing asin claim 1 wherein the body portion is molded of plastic material.
 4. Avalve housing as in claim 1 containing at least one opening thereinwhereby sealing material can be observed leaving the opening when thearea between the outwardly directed flanges and the raised rim portionsis filled with sealing material.